THE kids of St Patrick's High School in Eccles have already done what Roy Keane was hoping to this afternoon - by getting their hands on the FA Cup.

While the Manchester United skipper was preparing for this afternoon's FA Cup final showdown with Arsenal, the youngsters - including Matthew Hulse and Ryan Cowley (above) and Chelsea Anderson (right) - got to experience the thrill of lifting the famous trophy.

Cup sponsors Umbro brought the trophy deep into United territory as part of the build-up to this afternoon's big match against the Gunners at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.

And judging by the number of pupils gathering in the school's new sports hall to see the trophy for themselves, it was clear that the FA Cup had not lost its magic.